BRIMMING LAKE

Against the weather bureau's warning Wednesday of torrential rains and more potential geological disasters in the next five days, rescuers are racing to drain a dangerous debris-formed lake on the Bailong River, which hangs over Zhouqu County.

The unstable lake was created by debris that blocked the Bailong River.

Troops have been using excavators and explosives to demolish the blockage and discharge potential flood waters since Monday.

By 8 a.m., the water level of the lake was down by 80 cm from the highest level reported after the mudslide swept through the county on Sunday, the emergency rescue headquarters said in a press release.

Meanwhile, it said, the lake's water volume had been halved from 1.5 million cubic meters to 700,000 cubic meters.

More rains, however, could cause the unstable lake to burst and flood the already-devastated areas and put both survivors and rescuers at risk.

The provincial government has ordered a mass evacuation of residents in areas prone to flooding and geological disasters.

Zhouqu County sits in the steep valley of the Bailong River, a tributary of Jialing River, which meets the Yangtze in Chongqing, and is hemmed in by rocky mountains on both sides.

The mudslide in the early hours of Sunday sent floods, sludge and rocks clashing on the county seat, killing at least 702 people and leaving 1,042 others missing.